Cellulose is a complex polymer chain present in biomass. To convert cellulose to other fuels, hydrolysis is necessary to obtain the monomer building blocks from which desired chemicals may be derived. The hydrolysis reaction is strongly affected by structural and compositional features such as crystallinity and polymer chain length, all of which affect the desired product yields. At present, depolymerization is a recognized bottleneck in the conversion of cellulose feeds. While considerable research effort has been aimed at improving cellulose depolymerization processes in aqueous systems, progress has been limited, in part, due to the lack of solubility of cellulose in water. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is effective but is characteristically slow at ambient temperatures, and is also sensitive to contaminants originating from the various biomass components. Mineral acids have been extensively investigated to catalyze hydrolysis at a variety of acid concentrations and temperatures, but degradation of resulting products continues to be an issue. One such product, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), also known as 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde, is a versatile platform chemical for the production of a broad range of chemicals and fuels currently produced from petroleum. It is therefore desirable to be able to use cellulose feeds directly as a source of glucose for production of HMF. Inability to hydrolyze cellulose to glucose at low temperature presents a substantial barrier to direct utilization of cellulose. Accordingly, new methods are needed for converting carbohydrate polymers at low temperatures to value-added chemicals. Advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth hereafter, and will be readily apparent from the descriptions and demonstrations herein. These descriptions should be seen as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way.